Saying we do go down next week, am I correct in thinking we have 1 year less than all the other teams in the championship to gain the Criteria of a Grand Final appearance / Choo Choo cup, as does this year count as year 1 of 3 to gain that tick?

You are correct. Leigh have already ticked the performance box and whoever wins the championship GF will also. I wonder what the RFL are going to do to restore equality for the demoted SL club. Ten to a penny they've not even considered this.

As no-one was relegated last time, there's no regs for this round. I'd hope that being in SL while you can't qualify for this criterion would be sufficient to get you in.

Strictly speaking the RFL haven't said anything yet , all we have is the assumptions of the Boots and All team , having said that will you get a parachute payment ? , which in itself could easily bugger up the relatively competitive nature of the Championships at the moment

Either way , if it is yourselves joining us , as long as you take over from the Mutants , and become Leighs ' Bitches ' for the next couple of years , I'll be happy

I suppose one solution would be to have top 8 finish as a tick for the performance criteria for the demoted SL club. For example were Trinity to finish in the top 8 this season but were still dropped then they will have fulfiled the onfield requirements. That said if they were likely to finish in the top 8 they may not be quite so much the 'favourates' for the drop.

A larger salary cap would be a mistake IMO.

Don't expect any logic from the RFL. Featherstone lost only two league games last season, each by just two points, and won the league comfortably. They could well do the same this season but does such amazing consistency tick a box for on field performance? Does it heck but yet winning the NR Cup does. That's how much the powers that be understand what's actually going on.

IMO whichever SL club gets the boot they should be classed as having met the playing criteria regardless of whether they win the NR Cup or get to the C'ship GF by the time of the next franchise decision.

Based on what? I'm struggling to see your reasoning behind that. Whichever SL club comes down needs to quickly get used to the fact that it immediately loses its 'elite' tag and becomes just another member of the game's poor relations.

I'd live with that rather than you get a parachute payment and SC exception

Its what i've posted a few times. This doesn't upset the championship with unfair onfield advantages, but there is still no guarantee of 'promotion'. If another championship clubs fits the bill better they get the nod.

To be honest i'm surprised you'd go along with such an idea.

I'm more interested in having a good RL competition to watch and for clubs to build in than Leigh getting a SL franchise when they aren't ready for it

Fair enough.

Yes it is , I'm very misunderstood by many on these boards , who automatically assume that because I support a non SL club , I have an ' agenda '

I just see things differently , Ie , as they really are